Launching arm for rockets



Aug. 3, 1954 w. BRANDT LAUNCHING 'ARM FOR ROCKETS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 13, 1950 INVENTOR.

BY a,

ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 3, 1954 E. w. BRANDT 2,685,232

LAUNCI IING ARM FOR ROCKETS Filed July 13, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 GW/M INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 3, 1954 E. w. BRANDT 2,635,232

LAUNCHING ARM FOR ROCKETS Filed July 1 5, 1950 4 Sheetsh 4 Ti Z3 55 z i 97 1 l wk INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 3, 1954 LAUN CHIN G ARM FOR ROCKETS Edgar William Brandt, Geneva, Switzerland, as-

signor to Anstalt fiir die Entwicklung von Erfindungen und Gewerblichen Anwendungen Energa, Vaduz, Liechtenstein, a holding com- Application July 13, 1950, Serial No. 173,567

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a launching arm for self propelled projectiles.

Close fighting and the increasingly important role of armoured fighting vehicles call for light easily manageable weapons which are able to hit moving targets and the re-arming of which can be effected rapidly.

Self-propulsion of projectiles complies with these requirements, because it permits rapid, fiattrajectory fire, even at long range, by means of launching weapons of low weight and free from recoil.

The arm of the present invention is of the type comprising a gun-barrel open at the rear, a release mechanism, a projecting shoe fixing the projectile in the barrel of the weapon, and a mechanical percussion device automatically rearming the striker-carrier hammer by the direct action of the self-propulsion gases.

The arm of the present invention is character ised in that the hammer is adapted to free the fixing projecting shoe retaining the projectile, on the firing of the shot, said projecting shoe being also adapted to be released manually through the medium of at least one operating member of the percussion mechanism.

This construction provides synchronisation of operation of the striker-carrier hammer and the projecting shoe fixing the projectile in the Weapon, that is to say the projectile is freed at the moment of percussion only.

The result is that the projecting shoe arbitrarily ensures the perfect immobility of the projectile in the barrel, without, moreover, resulting in any inconvenience on the firing of the shot, since said projecting shoe is in any case freed before percussion. The arm, provided with its projectile, may therefore be transported and manipulated, with the muzzle directed upwards or downwards, Without any particular precautions, after the manner of a rifle, since the spring holding the projecting shoe in the active position can then be made of sufficient strength.

Since the projecting shoe can also be freed manually, the marksman may, when desired, extract the projectile from the arm without operating the percussion mechanism, the hammer remaining constantly in the armed position.

According to a preferred embodiment, the hammer is retained in the armed position by a first sear, then by a second sear, before the return of the trigger to its initial position, the second sear being released after the return of said trigger the first sear alone retaining said hammer again.

The combined action of two sears acting successively to retain the hammer after firing, permits instantaneous and automatic re-arming, independently of the time during which the marksman holds the trigger at the end of its path.

The aforesaid sears may by driven, according to the invention, by displacement of a cam comprising an oblique part on which the ends of the sears bear opposite those ends which are in engagement with the hammer, so that said cam simultaneously controls, under the action of the trigger, the lowering of one sear and the raising of the other.

In order to reduce the size of the mechanism, the aforesaid sears are preferably arranged parallel and are pivoted around the same axis.

The driving of the projecting shoe by the hammer may be effected in various manners, and more particularly with the aid of a pin integral with the hammer and which, when the latter is turned back, strikes against a stop cut out of the periphery of the projecting shoe. This design enables the position of the hammer to be fixed accurately on the freeing of the projecting shoe, since this position is determined by the path travelled by the pin before encountering said stop.

The invention also contemplates another embodiment in which the hammer and the projecting shoe pivot in opposite directions around two parallel axes, situated one on each side of the locking part of said projecting shoe.

The advantage is thereby gained that the projectile, entering through the rear of the gun barrel, does not run the risk of overrunning the locked position by developing a couple tending to depress the projecting shoe.

According to a still further embodiment of the invention, the projecting shoe is freed perpendicularly to the axis of the launching arm, under the action of the striker-carrier hammer, against a spring tending to return it to its normal position. This design ensures arbitrary locking, both on the introduction of the projectile into the weapon and during transportation and handling.

In order to facilitate the entrance of the projectile into the weapon, the locking part of the projecting shoe may also have at least one part inclined towards the rear of the barrel. Since the latter is the first to come into contact with the base of the ogive, the projecting shoe is more earily freed, so that the projectile can enter the barrel completely and without resistance.

Since it is preferable for the projectile to be 3 flush with the rear end of the gun barrel, in order to be more easily introduced into or withdrawn from the weapon, the percussion mechanism projects from said end.

Said mechanism is therefore within reach of the marksmans hand, it is easily detachable, and its interior is protected from foreign substances since, in the normal position, the striker-carrier hammer obturates the aperture of the casing.

In addition, in order to reduce the stress to which the percussion mechanism is subjected, the invention furthermore comprises a plastic or elastic shock-absorber member, against which the striker-carrier hammer strikes on re-arming by the self-propulsion gases.

According to a preferred embodiment the rear collar of the weapon comprises an extension, the shape and surface of which are adapted to compensate and cancel the lifting effect caused by the action of the gases on the projecting part of the percussion mechanism.

Further advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate diagrammatically and by way of example, various embodiments thereof, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a general view, on a reduced scale, of the preferred form of arm embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 shows, in longitudinal half-section, the trigger mechanism;

Fig. 3 is an external view of the handle of the weapon;

Figs. 4 and 5 are cross-sections along the lines IV-IV and V-V of Fig. 8; (for the sake of clarity, the position of these sections is also indicated on Fig. 1)

Fig. 6 is a view of the case containing the percussion mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the percussion mechanism;

Figs. .8, 9 and 10 are axial sections illustrating three phases of operation of the percussion mechanism;

Figs. 11 and 12 show, in longitudinal section and in plan respectively, an alternative construction of the percussion mechanism illustrated in Fig. 8; and

Figs. 13 and 14 show, likewise in longitudinal section and in plan, a second alternative of the mechanism shown in Fig. 8.

The launching arm for self-propelling projectiles, as illustrated in Fig. 1, comprises a gun barrel a middle collar 2, on which is fixed the sighting apparatus 3, and trigger mechanism 4 and a rear collar 5 carrying the percussion mechanism 6, while a longitudinal case I interconnects the mechanisms 4 and .5.

A trigger 8 (Fig. 2) is adapted to pivot around a pin 9, a roller ll), mounted loose at the rear of said trigger, then bearing on the front portion of a safety lever A stop catch l2, controlled by a button I3 (Fig. 3), housed in a recess H3 in the handle |5 of the arm, locks the lever during transportation and handling. However rotation of the button l3 by a quarter-turn either to the left or to the right, against the spring i8, frees the safety lever II, which is then retained in the normal position only by the leaf spring ll.

When the arm is unlocked, the pressure applied by the marksman to the trigger 8 drives, through the medium of the safety lever, a transmission rod l8 sliding in the case i.

The rod I8 operates the percussion mechanism 6, the different members of which are mounted on a base-plate I9 inside a case (Figs. 4 to 6). The Whole of the mechanism is retained in a suitable housing behind the collar 5 by two small locking bars 2|, each of which penetrates longitudinally into two slots facing on another and made respectively in the baseplate l9 and the collar 5.

In Fig. 4, the projecting shoe 22 locking the projectile in the gun barrel is viewed in crosssection, together with its locking portion 23, the upper concave part of which has the same curvature as that of the gun barrel l, but projects slightly inside the latter. The projectile (not illustrated), being inserted into the launching arm at the rear, is stopped by the sear 23, the concave part of which is inserted into a notch made in at least one of the vanes of the empennage, or in a groove provided in the rear of the projectile. The curved spring 24 (Fig. 8) holds th ear 3 i the pe at ve posi ion and h a s a one of its ends against the hammer 25 carrying e str er The hammer 25 is armed, in the horizontal p iti a ns t a ion of th per u i n pr g 21, by a s ar B h ead of hich is n engagement with a shoulder 29 cut out of the body of the hammer 25.

A pi 3 I, te ra w h said h mm 25. c r ies with it the projecting shoe 22- when it rotates a o d the ot ,9. t the. end f the r with the aid of the bearing surface 32 against which said pin strikes,

The hammer 25 and the projecting shoe 22 turn around the same pivot 39, and the pin 3| is disposed so that the projecting shoe is released immediately before the percussion of the primer (not shown) by the striker 26.

The rod l8, controlled by the trigger mechanism 4 against the action of the spring 33 compressed by a stop 34, operates the bent lever 35 pivoting around the pin 36 and comprising two surfaces 31 (Fig, 7) and 38 of a cam 58 against which bear, at different levels, the rounded ends 39 and 46 of the sears 28 and 4| under the pressure of the spring blades .42 and 43, the sears 28 b n ger h n the e 4 The displacement of the bent lever 35 of the cam 58 integral with the surfaces 31 and 38 around the pivot 35 effects respectively the lifting of the end 39. and the lowering of the end 40 of the sears 28 and 4|.

It follows that the trip of the sear 28 leaves the shoulder 29, thus freeing the striker-carrier hammer ZE. Since it is slightly offset in relation to the tip of the catch 28, the tip of the sear 4| cannot retain the hammer 25, because the tip of the sear 4| cannot engage the acting surface of the shoulder 29, of said hammer 25 (Fig. 8). Percussion therefore takes place as illustrated in Fig. 9.

The ca es ei et cl by t noz or z e of the projecti row heels he hamme 2 th ecoil movement of which is damped by a shock absorber 44 (Fig.10), which is elastic or plastic, for example a rubber pad (or if desired a spring).

The hammer Z5 is then provisionally caught by the sear 4|, engagement resulting from the action of the spring blade 43 (Fig. 9) until the bent lever 35 resumes its initial position, under the action of scar 2a biased by the spring blade 42, that i to say, until the moment when the marks an releases the trigger andthe rod 8 returns to its initial position (Fig. 3).

Finally, the percussion mechanism comprises, externally of the collar 5, two buttons 45 (Fig. 4) integral with the projecting shoe 22 and disposed symmetrically on either side of the case, and which permit easy manual unlocking when the marksman wishes to extract the projectile from the arm.

In accordance with the alternative illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12, the hammer 25 and the projecting shoe 22 pivot around two parallel pins 30 and 41 situated on opposite sides of the sear 23, so that unlocking takes place when th finger 48 of the hammer strikes the stop 49 of the projecting shoe 22, which then pivots around the pin 41 to which it is connected through the arms 46.

This embodiment differs from the previous one in that the projecting shoe 22 liberates the projectile by an angular displacement in the dextrorotary direction, while the corresponding projecting shoe shown in Figs. 8 to 10 acts in the opposite direction under the action of the hammer 25. It follows that, since the projectile enters from the rear into the gun barrel I, its movement opposes the couple which would tend to liberate the projecting shoe 22 and in that event to allow the projectile to pass on.

According to still a further alternative, the projecting shoe 22 shown in Figs. 13 and 14 is displaced parallel to itself against the action of a spring 50; it is furthermore guided by a pin 5| sliding in a cylindrical housing 52 on the baseplate Hi, the pin 53 limiting the vertical stroke of the projecting shoe 22.

The projecting shoe 22 illustrated in'Figs. 11 to 14 comprises furthermore on the sear 23, an inclined portion 55 facilitating the entry of the projectile.

It should be noted that this embodiment no longer involves the case 20 which was required by the previously described designs. In fact, the pivots of the difierent mobile elements of the mechanism have their bearings in the side-pieces 54 made in one piece with the baseplate 19. This construction particularly simplifies the percussion mechanism and the projecting shoe 22 cannot set up any torque in on direction or the other tending to free the projectile.

In addition, the marksman may easily extract the percussion mechanism as a unit from the weapon, after having withdrawn the fastening bars, as shown at 2| in Fig. 4, without any of its component parts becoming detached or being lost.

Experience shows that if the housing in which the percussion mechanism is lodged, extends to the rear of the barrel I, the propulsion gases leaving said barrel may produce a lifting effect due to the orientation of the nozzles of the projectile. To avoid said lifting effect the collar 5 has a rear extension 56 (Fig. 8) which compensates said lifting effect produced by the self-propulsion gases on the percussion mechanism 6. It follows that the actions of the gases on the rear parts of the percussion mechanism and on the rear extension 56 have a resultant force along the axis of the barrel I.

The gun barrel 4 of the arm is not subject to any internal pressure, and may therefore be light in weight (aluminium alloy, thin steel), and may have a heat insulating jacket 51.

It is obvious that the invention has been illustrated and described only by way of example and that various modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A launching arm for a projectile of the self propelled type which carries its own propelling charge, comprising a barrel open at both ends, and a mechanical percussion device disposed at the rear and under said barrel, said mechanical percussion device comprising a pivotally mounted hammer which, at firing, projects into the discharge path of the self propelled gases, said hammer being adapted to be pressed out of said discharge path by said gases in recocking position, a projecting shoe engaging before firing, said projectile in said barrel to latch the projectile in firing position, and mechanical means connecting operatively said hammer and said projecting shoe at firing, said means comprising two parts integral respectively with said hammer and said projecting shoe, said part of said hammer engaging at firing the corresponding part of said projecting shoe to unlatch said projectile when said hammer projects into the discharge path of the self propelled gases, whereby in response to said hammer projecting into the discharge path of the self propelled gases and actuating said means, said projecting shoe is put out of action, immediately before the striking of the projectile by said hammer.

2. A launching arm as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hammer and said projecting shoe are pivotally mounted on two parallel axes, said projecting shoe being disposed between said parallel axes whereby said hammer and said projecting shoe are rotated in opposite directions to one another.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 691,040 Young Jan. 14, 1902 1,377,236 Watson May 10, 1921 1,626,367 Nelson May 3, 1927 1,843,916 Cole Feb. 9, 1932 2,440,723 MacDonald May 4, 1948 2,442,386 Uhl June 1, 1948 2,451,522 Uhl Oct, 19, 1948 2,465,402 Skinner et a1 Mar. 29, 1949 2,517,333 Motley Aug. 1, 1951 

